Mutual Fund Screeners

When a potential investor wants to find out how the real time status of a mutual fund, there is only one thing to turn to...a mutual fund screener. Using any online search engine can produce a long list of companies offering their own version of a fund screener.

The most two popular online search engines that have a built in mutual fund screener are: Yahoo! Finance and Google Finance. If you dig deeper on the internet or even pick up the financial section of the newspaper or in a investor's magazine, the search is endless.

Online websites like TheStreet.com, MotleyFool.com or The Morningstar allows you with the click of a few keys to learn how well a mutual fund is doing. These websites have a staff of talented contributors who are up to date in the financial world.

Major television networks like CNBC feature experienced analysts who can give any investor the low down on what mutual funds are doing at that very moment.

Mutual fund companies like Fidelity, Charles Schwab, Scottrade, Vanguard and T. Rowe Price have a virtual fund screener on the company's website. Fidelity, Vanguard and T. Rowe Price is a great advantage because these mutual fund companies offer the easiest way to get into investing without the headache or worry of paperwork and fees. Fidelity, Vanguard and T. Row Price are no-load mutual fund companies.

The advantage of no-load mutual fund companies is that the buyer can contact the company and begin to get started in buying mutual funds. These companies offer to start a money market account and have access to withdrawing funds to personal accounts.

Some no-load mutual fund companies engage in a mutual fund supermarket. The mutual fund supermarket gives the buyer the opportunity to select from different mutual funds. The company manages all the transactions with the funds and the buyer receives one personalized statement about the funds. One drawback to this method is the buyer has to put more fees out of pocket. Two of the largest no-load mutual fund companies that have the mutual fund supermarket are Vanguard and Fidelity.